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Chapter 13: A Quiet Don, An Eloquent Don
|volume = Volume 2 |kana = 静かなる丼、雄弁な丼 |romaji = Shizukanaru don, yūben'na don |arc = Introduction Arc |ep = 7 |chapprev = Enter the Battlefield |chapnext = Megumi's Garden }} A Quiet Don, An Eloquent Don is the 13th Chapter of the Shokugeki no Soma series. Plot Summary Mito Ikumi presents her dish, a Wagyu Roti Beef Bowl. The judges are impressed by the visual aspect of the dish. Shigeno Kuraki commenting that she never expected to see such an amazing don bowl. They then taste the dish, Kuraki thinking the dish was so delicious that it made her knees feel weak, the beef seemed to have an intensely rich flavour. Yoshiki Bito notices that the cuts of beef were roasted while taking into account the angle of the meat. Heating it perpendicular to the grain allows the meat to heat evenly and increase the amount of juices inside greatly, noting this is a technique all first-class chefs make use of with meat. Katsunori Okamoto sees that there is also butter in the rice, along with the grease of the beef, which makes the rice taste even more wonderful. To them, the dish is so seductively delicious, it is almost sensual. Mito smiles in victory, saying that this is the pleasure of meat. The audience already decide that Yukihira Soma has lost the Shokugeki. Nonetheless, the judging continues and Urara Kawashima asks Yukihira what dish he is serving, he calls it the "Yukihira-Style Chaliapin Steak Bowl". Bito is rather unimpressed, especially after Yukihira's cheap choice in meat, and Okamoto states he would much rather go home with the taste of Grade A5 beef on his tongue. Soma reveals his dish, it turning out to be more pleasing to the judges than they expected. The judges taste his dish, and suddenly they start eating constantly, as if they cannot stop themselves, which catches Mito off-guard. Bito says he cannot stop himself from eating, saying that the meat is not only tender, but the helping of minced onions on top helps to whet his appetite further. He also recognises his use of red wine that he added while searing the stake to add to the remaining meat juices and in addition, caramelized the onions, resulting in the cause in the donburi bowl. Okamoto also compliments the sauce, which was thickened with potato starch, wrapping around the rice and meat amazingly. And finally, as noted by Kurakai, the scorched soy sauce tying the dish together, and char added as seasoning for an even deeper flavour. Yukihira has made a wonderful sauce on the onions that are key to making a true Chaliapin steak. However, Bito is confused about why he feels he can eat this dish endlessly, and asks if there is another hidden secret in the dish. Yukihira reveals that is in the rice, and he used handmade picked-plum mix, the aftertaste being what makes them come back for more and more. Quickly, they have finished his dish, Kurakai asking if there can have any seconds. She compliments her dish, but prefers Soma's because It makes her want more and more of it. Mito suddenly realises that the judges have not even finished her dish. Yukihira was aware of this flaw, saying he wondered what she would do with the rice, ever since he heard that she would likely use marbled wagyu beef as her choice of meat. Wagyu beef has a powerful flavour, and if the rice's flavour was just as strong, they would clash. Her dish looked like a bowl, but it really was not one - a real donburi bowl is a "complete in one bowl". Mito does not believe this, still thinking that her meat was better due to its quality, and Soma tells her to try his dish and taste what his bowl has to say. She eats his dish, and keeps eating and eating, before admitting to herself that his bowl did have something to say to her - it told her to dig in, the way she wanted. She then remembers memories of her childhood. When she was nice, she received a teddy bear from her mother, Ikumi showing a fond love of it. But then, despite her mother's pleas, her father damages the doll, telling her to never give her a gift like that again, as he believes her, a family heir, should never show any signs of femininity. She tells her to be strong and think of nothing else, Mito picks up the broken doll, and begins to cry. She wonders why his dish brought up such a memory all of a sudden, and believes it was his dish that caused this. Mito realises that this dish keeps whispering to her, telling her that she can do what she wants and be who she wants. The judges cast their votes, and it is a 3 to 0 win to Yukihira. Konishi and Megumi cheer at his victory. Mito is crushed and in disbelief at her loss, before realising that Nakiri Erina was also spectating the Shokugeki, and looks up to see her, she sees Erina look down at her in clear disappointment, before leaving, which makes her cry more. She asks that Hisako remove her from her personal kitchen. Yukihira comes to her and asks if he can have a taste of her bowl calling her by the nickname "Nikumi". Mito reprimands him, telling him to not get a big head and tell he not to call him that. Soma disagrees, thinking that the name is cute, especially when it is written in hiragana instead of kanji, which makes her blush. With a smile, he says he hopes they can be friends, continuing to call her "Nikumi". Nikumi feels her heart beat at his heartfelt words, dismissing it and running away, calling him a jerk, Soma telling her to stop by the Don Society tomorrow. Konishi praises him, calling him a man among men, and states that there is no other person he would rather have carry the Society, "the next don of the Donburi Bowl Society...is you!" he tells him. The next day, Mito is anxiously waiting outside the door to the Society, having changed into a uniform now unlike before. She remembers his compliment towards her, but she skaes it off just as quickly, feeling rather embarrassed. She enters, but only to find Konishi in the room. She comments about Yukihira not being her yet, and says that she decided to listen. It turns out that the day before, Soma had rejected his offer, as he had only come by to check the Soicety out, but he did find it useful nonetheless, he then left, saying he will come back to visit every once in a while. Konishi feels quite disappointed, but he is optimistic because of the increased budget, and says that they can help make the Don Bowl Society greater again. He declared the same words he did to Soma to her, but she becomes enraged at the news, smacking Konishi and telling him not to call her by that nickname. Her temper has become much shorter since that day. Characters in Order of Appearance Featured Dishes *Mito Ikumi's A5 Japanese Beef Roti Don *Sōma Yukihira's Chaliapin Steak Don Featured Cooking Duels *Mito Vs. 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